


Where Do Dwarves Go When They Die?

by LittleMissCactus



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gimli is the poetic sweetheart he is in the books, IE not movie Gimli, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Outdoor Sex, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:47:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27826261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissCactus/pseuds/LittleMissCactus
Summary: Legolas begins to understand the implications of what it means to love a mortal. Gimli comforts him the only way he knows how.
Relationships: Gimli (Son of Glóin)/Legolas Greenleaf
Comments: 1
Kudos: 94





	Where Do Dwarves Go When They Die?

“Gimli?” Legolas's voice cut through the darkness waveringly, almost hesitantly. It was unusual for Legolas to sound so withdrawn.

Gimli rolled over to face Legolas and took his hand in his own. “Are you alright, _merlar?_ ”

“No.” Legolas waited for a moment before elaborating, and Gimli could hear him swallow. “I had a dream, and I know that it must come to pass. You must be taken from me.”

“Taken from you- oh.” Gimli kissed Legolas's hand with a heavy sigh as he considered his next words carefully. It had been something that had crossed his mind as well, but he knew how much more painful it would be for the one who was doomed to live. “I am sorry, my love, I know not how I can comfort you. I cannot change my fate, but I will cherish every moment that I am granted with you.”

“I envy Arwen. I wish that I were able to choose the fate of Men,” Legolas said childishly, pulling himself closer to Gimli and burying his face in the Dwarf's coarse hair.

Gimli sighed and glided his calloused lips across the soft skin of Legolas's neck. “I would not choose that fate for you. I would have you live and be happy in the memory that you had of me.”

“I know,” Legolas whispered, and his voice broke, “But I could not bear it.”

For a while, the two laid there on the soft grass in silence, Gimli rubbing slow circles on Legolas's back in an attempt to soothe him as Legolas wept quietly and clung to Gimli as though he would disappear if Legolas did not hold on tightly enough. Eventually, Legolas spoke up again.

“Gimli? Where do Dwarves go when they die?” A pause. “My father told me that you return to the stone that you were made of, but I cannot fathom that.”

Gimli smiled sadly. “That is the Elvish belief, from what I gather. We Dwarves believe that a different fate is in store for us. We will go also to the Halls of Mandos, where Mahal has set aside a place for us to rest and regain our strength until the end of the World, when we will aid in the rebuilding process.”

Legolas went silent as he considered this for a moment. “I like that better,” he decided, “And when I inevitably diminish after your death and go to Mandos myself, I shall stay there with you that our fëar may be together until the end of Arda.”

“Nay!” Gimli cried, “You must live! Think of all those who would be so deeply pained by that choice. Think of your father!”

Legolas managed a weak smile. “It would not be my first time disappointing him. But we need not decide this now. When I heed the call of Mandos upon your death, we shall be reunited, and then we may decide my fate together.”

Gimli sighed. “Very well. But know that I shall not rest until I know that you have chosen the path that will allow you the most happiness. I love you more than I long to be by your side.”

“You are perhaps wiser than I,” Legolas said with a sigh, his eyes fluttering shut, “Nevertheless, I fear that I shall find no rest tonight.”

“Then let us put the matter from your mind.” Gimli adjusted his angle so that he could capture Legolas's lips in a tender kiss. “If you wish it, of course.”

Legolas laughed. “And what, pray tell, would you have in mind for us?” Despite the innocence in his words, his hands found their way to Gimli's hips in an instant and worked at the buckle of his belt.

Within moments, they were both stripped and Legolas was sprawled out on the grass beneath Gimli, looking up at him languidly. Gimli smiled as he ran rough fingers along Legolas's milky white skin, feeling its incredible softness and the firmness of the toned muscle beneath it, so different from the bodies of Gimli's kin, and yet no less beautiful to him.

“How your kinsmen must envy me for having the privilege of seeing what they can only dream of,” Gimli murmured against the crook of Legolas's neck as he trailed gentle kisses along his Elf's skin, leaving no patch of skin that he could reach untouched, for how could so beautiful a being be deprived of the love that it is due?

“Nay, I am too... _nng..._ too troublesome for anyone to look upon me with lust. I married a Dwarf, after all.” Legolas allowed himself a wry smile as his eyelids fluttered blissfully.

Gimli laughed, deep and gutteral in his throat. “That may be so, but I cannot fathom how anyone could help but to love you. Aye, you are fair and kind, but you are strong and bold too, with a heart of iron and eyes brighter than all the gems beneath the earth. A more perfect being I am yet to see in all the world, and I cannot yet be convinced that you are not but a dream that I shall wake from. And if it is so, I should weep upon my waking, not just from sorrow at finding you gone, but from joy at having been given the privilege of seeing a glimpse of beauty pure and uncorrupted.”

“My dear Gimli,” Legolas laughed, attempting to run his fingers through Gimli's hair but finding that they only got tangled in the dense coils, “You are waxing poetic again. You are too kind to me and say words that I do not deserve, but I thank you for the sentiment- _oh..._ ”

Legolas's eyes flew open and he gasped as he felt Gimli's large hand wrap around both of their members at once and begin to stroke.

“Nay, I say that you do deserve it, and more. I could talk for eternity about your beauty and kindness without beginning to do it justice.”

Legolas shivered in pure bliss and bucked his hips into Gimli's hand. “I love you, Gimli. I love you more than I can possibly describe in the tongues of Men or Elves.”

“And the language of my own folk, while designed to describe the beauty of all that is found beneath the earth, cannot begin to tell of my love for you.”

Legolas wrapped his legs around Gimli's hips and cried out as Gimli stroked faster, his head lilting slightly as his breath quickened and his face grew red. Gimli could feel his own breathing grow ragged and he doubted that his face was any less flushed than his husband's. Before long, white liquid splashed onto their stomachs and the grass beneath them as Legolas went limp, and Gimli was not far behind in his own release.

Panting, Gimli flopped onto the ground next to Legolas and smiled wearily at him as he watched Legolas roll onto his stomach, his chin perched on his hand and a serene smile on his face.

“Thank you, my love,” Legolas sighed contentedly, reaching out to gently touch Gimli's cheek, “I know not what I would do without you.”

“Nor I without you. Now, do you think that you can rest now?”

Legolas nodded. “I can. Only... will you hold me while we sleep?”

Gimli smiled and wrapped his arms around Legolas tightly, holding him close such that Legolas's face was pressed against Gimli's bare chest. “Of course. Nothing would make me happier.”

And with that, Gimli waited until he heard Legolas's breathing slow before allowing himself to fall asleep too.

**Author's Note:**

> Someone requested I draw Legolas on my art blog and I decided to write a fic to go along with it  
> https://jail-crow-of-mandos.tumblr.com/post/636251143416233984/draw-legolas-being-gay


End file.
